1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrically driven vehicle and a charge control method for the electrically driven vehicle, and more particularly, to an electrically driven vehicle loaded with an electric power storage device charged by electric power supplied from a power supply outside the vehicle, and a charge control method for the electrically driven vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, consciousness to the environment has been increasing. Accordingly, an electrically driven vehicle such as an electric vehicle or a plug-in hybrid vehicle, which is loaded with a driving storage battery which can be charged by electric power supplied from a power supply outside the vehicle, and employs a motor operated by the driving storage battery as a power supply, is gaining attention.
The electrically driven vehicle is charged during being parked, by connecting a power supply outside the vehicle and the electrically driven vehicle with each other using a charge cable. In this way, the charge cable is connected to the electrically driven vehicle during being externally charged, and, when the electrically driven vehicle moves from the parking location during the charge, the connected charge cable is disconnected, and arc discharge is generated from connection terminals, resulting in a possible damage of the connection terminals and the like. Therefore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei 09-322313 describes an electrically driven vehicle, which enables charge only if a shift position of an automatic transmission for driving the vehicle is in a parking range, and which includes a lock mechanism for preventing the shift position from moving during the charge.
However, if the vehicle is chargeable only when the shift position is in the parking range, the charge will not start in a case where a user connects the charge cable, but forgets to operate the shift position to the parking range. In addition, because the charge cable is connected outside the vehicle, it is not always the case that the user confirms the start of the charge. In this case, there may occur a problem in that the user cannot use the electrically driven vehicle because the charged amount is not sufficient when the user wants to use the electrically driven vehicle.